[Discoveries] 03-05-07 At a distance

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, 
facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 2 
Kings 2:7*/

In the previous chapter, Elijah called down fire from heaven on two 
groups of fifty soldiers sent by an evil king with the intention of 
bullying the prophet into blessing the king. Now good men -- another 
group of fifty -- stood at a distance. They knew that this prophet and 
his God were not to be trifled with. I suspect they were afraid.

There is a fear of God that is based on truth. Aaron's sons Nadab and 
Elihu lacked it. They marched into God's sanctuary, burned unauthorized 
fire before the Lord, and fell dead (Leviticus 10). Ananias and Sapphira 
lacked it. They lied to the Holy Spirit and were buried the same day 
(Acts 5).

But there is also a fear of God that is based on lies like these: I'm 
too shameful for God to like me. God will never forgive me. God is just 
waiting to pound me. Maybe if I'm real quiet, He won't notice me and He 
will go away. God is angry, therefore, He must be angry at me. I am not 
safe with Jesus.

These are all lies. Deeply buried inside us, these lies drive us to keep 
God at a distance. And how do the broken places in our souls get mending 
as long as we keep God at a distance?

God calls us to do the counter-intuitive. To run toward Him with all our 
faults and weaknesses, to trust His mercy to cleanse and clothe us 
because we know that outside of Jesus we have no other recourse.

God is calling us into His arms, and in that call are these words: "Do 
not be afraid."

Be encouraged!
Dwight


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